Woolacombe Tourist Information

Woolacombe on the North Devon Coast is famed for its long golden sandy beach stretching for three miles which is popular with surfers and families. The beach nestles between Morte Point and Baggy Point and is a multi award-winner, regularly voted Best British Beach in the Press and amongst reviewers. The lively seaside village alongside the beach is brimming with surf shops and schools, stylish restaurants, cafes and inns.

The resort is a top spot for adventure sports including surfing, paragliding, kayaking and coasteering and more famous surfing beaches sit near Woolacombe at Croyde and Braunton. Great family cycling is easily accessed on the Tarka Cycle Trail. Woolacombe is also just a stone’s throw from Ilfracombe attractions including boat trips to Lundy Island and the Tunnels Beaches.

Award-winning Woolacombe Beach

A top 10 British beach and named as one of the world’s best beaches, Woolacombe beach is a breathtaking three mile stretch of golden sands which catches the rolling Atlantic waves making it a top spot for surfing and other watersports including sailing, jet ski, windsurfing, canoeing and paddle boarding. Zoning is in place for water sports activities, and for families the beach offers plenty of seaside fun in the form of bouncy castles, train rides and swing boat rides. Either side of the beach bay sit the rugged cliffs and headlands of Baggy Point and Morte Point, and just behind it sit sandy hills and pretty Woolacombe Downs. The village is located at the northern end of the beach. Ample parking (space for 3000 cars) in large adjacent car parks caters for the many visitors and includes disabled parking. The beach has a lifeguard presence across the summer season.

Surf Schools & Activities

A huge variety of activities are available in and around Woolacombe. Surf schools with onsite surf shops and equipment hire offer a variety of surf coaching packages as well as adrenalin packed coasteering experiences or on flat wave days you can try a spot of stand up paddle boarding. Premier surf schools in Woolacombe include Hunter Surf School and Nick Thorn located right on the beach offering a choice of surfing lessons from half day to two day courses, midweek specials and private one to one surf tuition. Outdoor activity centres in the Woolacombe area offer everything from paragliding and rock climbing courses to quad biking and off road adventure.

Woolacombe Wave – Surfing Simulator

Enjoy a round of golf at the Woolacombe and Mortehoe Golf Club with its 9-hole course and licensed clubhouse. Several top golf courses are also within a 20 minute drive of Woolacombe around Ilfracombe, Saunton Sands and Willingcot. Improve your surfing skills at the Woolacombe Wave sports complex at the Golden Coast Holiday Village in the resort with a surfing simulator open to all over 8 years (6 and 7 year old kiddy sessions are available). Other attractions here open to residents and non-residents include a climbing wall, high ropes and a bungee trampoline! You can also experience spectacular coastal riding with Woolacombe Riding Stables.

Mortehoe Village & Coast Path Walking

The charming historic village of Mortehoe sits on the cliff-top under one mile from Woolacombe. The village, which was mentioned in the Doomsday Book, has a little museum exploring the ancient history of ‘Old Morte’ rich in tales of smuggling and shipwrecks. The village has a car park and a selection of delightful village shops and inns. Spectacular coast path walking features between Woolacombe and Mortehoe and beyond along this National Trust coastline dotted with dramatic cliffs, rocky headlands, coves and sandy beach bays. From the top of rugged Morte Point headland you may spot an Atlantic grey seal basking in one of the many tiny hidden coves (binoculars recommended) and there are great views towards Woolacombe beach and Baggy Point. A more challenging coastal walk is between Morte Point towards Bull Point – the coastal heathland along this walk is brimming with birds and wildlife. The National Trust also runs regular family fun events and walks around Woolacombe and Morthoe through the year

Where to Stay

Woolacombe accommodation is varied and great value, featuring a choice of holiday parks and B&Bs, self-catering cottages and apartments. Choose from a selection of campsites, hotels and inns with rooms, many with fantastic sea views. Beach apartments right in the heart of the resort have spectacular views over Britain’s number one beach bay and you will find a good choice of beachfront apartments welcoming well trained dogs. Family holiday parks in Woolacombe just a short walk from the beach offer fantastic all inclusive holiday packages including use of onsite leisure facilities such as climbing walls, surf wave simulators, health spa and more.

Woolacombe Links

Michelle is an experienced travel writer with iknow and has travelled extensively across the UK, Spain, Portugal and the USA. When she’s not busy writing for iknow she enjoys spending time touring museums and art galleries and seeking out the best independent shops in Manchester and Leeds.

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